1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a side dump body and more particularly to a side dump body for use on a trailer or truck and which has increased carrying capacity when compared to conventional side dump trailers. More particularly, this invention relates to a side dump body wherein a plurality of side dump bodies are mounted on a trailer or truck with each of the side dump bodies being selectively pivotally movable between transport and dumping positions by a single hydraulic cylinder.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dump bodies which are employed on trailers or trucks normally are of the end dump type or the side dump type. Since the introduction of the side dump body disclosed in applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,214, side dump trucks and trailers have experienced wide acceptance. Perhaps the only drawback to applicant's earlier side dump body is that the body does not have as much carrying capacity as an end dump body due to the fact that the side walls of the side dump body extend upwardly and outwardly from a bottom wall, rather than extending vertically upwardly from a bottom wall as in most conventional end dump bodies. The bottom dump or belly dump bodies also suffer the same drawback, since the side walls of those trailers normally extend upwardly and outwardly from a bottom wall rather than substantially vertically from a bottom wall. A further disadvantage of the conventional side dump and end dump trailers is that they are only able to haul a single commodity.
Applicant overcame the objections noted above to side dump trailers by way the inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,967,615 and 6,179,385. Although the side dump bodies of the above-identified patents performed their intended functions in an exceptional manner, the side dump bodies thereof required a hydraulic cylinder at each end of each of the side dump bodies for pivotally moving the side dump body from the transport to dumping positions and vice versa. Further, the side dump bodies of applicant's earlier patents required that the end walls, side walls and bottoms thereof be welded together which involved considerable time and expense. Further, the side dump bodies disclosed in applicant's earlier patents experienced increased weight due to the fact that a pair of hydraulic cylinders was required for each of the dump bodies.